First Turkish children’s choir to sing in 15 different languages

BİTLİS - Anatolia News Agency

There is no other choir in Turkey that sings in 15 different languages. The children are very successful in terms of giving messages of peace and love to the world, according to the coordinator of the choir. AA photos

Sixty students in the eastern province of Bitlis’ Güroymak district’s Doğuyorum Civilization Choir have made a name for themselves with their multi-lingual singing and plans for the future.

Speaking to Anatolia news agency about the choir, Güroymak District Gov. Turan Yılmaz said the children were not only singing children songs but also giving messages of peace and love to society.

The choir, supported by the State Planning Institution (DPT) and the SODES Project, started in 2010.
“The project is still continuing,” said Yılmaz, adding that a total of six music teachers were training the children in the choir.

Noting that there was no other choir in Turkey that sings in 15 different languages, Yılmaz said the children were very successful in terms of giving messages of peace and love to the world.

“We should not see those children as a simple children’s choir because they are singing to give messages,” he said, adding that the choir had no problems in terms of presenting themselves in the media or in other institutions.

“We can say that every negative thing can be seen in the media; however, we never see positive developments reflected in the media. This makes us sad,” said Yılmaz.

The project was prepared to show people that there were beautiful things happening in Bitlis, according to Yılmaz.

“In March and February the choir will start a tour. The children will visit Ankara and Istanbul and sing for their audience,” he said, noting that when children feel they have succeeded, their self-confidence increases. “This is the most important thing about the project,” added Yılmaz.

“To see child happy and developing herself or himself is a gift for us,” he said. This will be very important thing in a part of their lives, added Yılmaz.

“Some children from last year’s choir went to the fine arts department. What we want to create actors, actresses, singers and music teachers from this choir,” said Yılmaz, adding that their aim was to create the best students in terms of an artistic approach.

Yılmaz also said this should be a sustainable and long-term project.

Güroymak education official and Doğuyorum Civilization Choir project coordinator Sedat Ergün said the choir students were from the center of the district and surrounding villages.

“First the choir started in a small district and then spread to villages and the center of Bitlis and there are total of six volunteer music teachers to give music lessons to the children,” he said, adding that children first started to sing Turkish songs before moving onto other languages.

Enthusiastic parents encourage children
The choir has already given three concerts, Ergün said.

“Between the first part of the 2010-2011 education year, the choir started to change their concept and started to sing in different languages,” he said.

“The reason that choir wants to sing in different languages is that because they want to send messages of love and peace,” said Ergün.

The choir consists of children aged 7 to 14, said Ergün.

The children sing in Kurdish, English, Arabic, Turkish, Armenian, German, Persian, Spanish, Romanian, Albanian, Lazuri, Zazaki, Italian, Georgian and Moldavian.

Famous Turkish musicians accompany the choir with their instruments in concerts, added Ergün.
The parents of the children are also very enthusiastic about the choir, said Ergün, noting that the parents thought that the children would succeed in everything that they do.

“This is the self-confidence that we need to see,” said Ergün, adding that teachers also thought the same thing.

“The children who are active in music career also have a developed sense in the arts,” he said. Currently, the children from the choir are planning to continue their artistic career. Last year, many children went to the Siirt Fine Arts High School.